Improvement in breech-loading- fire-arms



A. A. CHASSEPOT.

Breech Loading Fire Arm.

Patented Nov. 23, 1869.

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Lem Patent No. 97,107, dated November 23, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING- FIRE-ARMS.

The Schedule referred to in these LettersPatent and making part of the same,

To whom it may concern:

1 -tion of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The improvements which are the subject of this patent, relate to the needle-gun, for which Letters 'Patent of the United States, No. 60,832, were granted me on the 1st day of January, 1867, .t-he principal object I nowhave in view being to use, in connection with that fire-arm, flanged metallic cartridges, together with an automatic retractor, for withdrawing the cartridge-shells or cases from the barrel.

These improvements consist- First, a of movable automatic cartridge-retractor, actuated by the plug or piston, by which the rear of the cartridge-chamber is closed.

Second, oi'a piston for closing the rear of thechargechamber, made entirely of met-a1, with a needle shortened,"so as to ignite the cartridge by percussion only.

Third, of a metallic central-fire cartridge, which has preferably-a compound case or shell, of paper and metal, received and held in a charge-chamber, of a form suitable for the purpose.

To enable those. skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, 1' will now proceed to describe the manner in which the same .is or may be carried into effect, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fignre 1 represents a longitudinal section of my needle-gun, provided with the movable cartridge-retractor.

Figure 2 isla like section, representing the position of the retractor when drawing out the cartridge from the gun.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the gun, showing the groove in which the caltridge slides.

Figures 4, 5, and 6,represent a front view, side view, and end view of the movable cartridge-retractor detached from the arm'.'

Figures 7 and 8 represent a front view, and a side elevation of the piston bv which the retractor is operated.

In order to successfully combine a cartridge-retractor with the fire-arm described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, I have modified, in some particulars, the construction of the latter.

The movable sliding head is discarded, and the rubber piston or gas check is replaced ,by the metallic piston, represented in figs/i and 8, through whicbis the shortened needle T or percussion pin, as it may be called, passes, when driven forward 'byits spring.

The piston a. is partly received and enclosed in a chamber, made for-that purpose, in the end ofthe bolt B, fig. 2, and is there held bylmeans of the-screw b, whoseend fits in an annular groove,c,' formed in the exterior of the piston. T

A square-shaped projecting finger or stud, d, is attached to, or formed upon the head of the piston. This stud engages with the cartridge-extractor and constitutes the means whereby the latter is operated.

The cartridge-retractor f consists of a metal plate or strip, provided at one end with an offset or shoulder, g, which is curved, to conform to the interior circumference of the barrel.

This shoulder g has formed in it a groove or recess,

. in which is received the flange of the base of the car- The employment of metallic flangedcartridges has also led me to modify the shape of the chargechamher, and to dispense'with the combustion-chamber, mentioned in the patent above referred toL The rear. of the charge-chamber is provided with a circular groove, 0, for holdiug the flange 0'v of the cartridge k. I

A recess, h, is formed in the breech and barrel, for the reception of the shoulder g of the retractor, which shoulder formsa continuation of the circular grooves 0', and completes the annular formation-at the entrance to the chamber.

The gun is loaded in the same manner as described in my formenpat-ent, with this exception, that in drawing out the breech-bolt, when the Stud 11' of the piston a (which moves with the breech bolt) arrives atthe end of the slot i in the cartridgerretractor, it draws back the latter, which, in its turn, retracts the cartridge or cartridge-shell from the barrel. By then tipping the gun a little to one side the cartridge-shell will drop of itself from the gun. when another cartridge isto be introduced into the charge-chamber it is placed in the breech-receiver, in front of the breechbolt, in such position that its flange shall fit in' the groove of the shoulder g of the retracton'ahd when the breech-bolt is pushed forward, so as to force the cartridge into the barrel, the retractor will conse-' quently be also drawn forward into. its place.

The method above described, of uniting the breech-' bolt and piston, adnlits of the indcpendent rotary to open and close the breech, without causing a like movement of the piston, and there is thus no lateral strain brought upon the cartridge-extractor, which has only a'longitudinal sliding movement.

My new metallic cartridge k, with its central priming Z, is represented more clearly in figs. 9 and 10.

While any suitable central-tire metallic cartridge maybe employed, I prefer, however,-to use a compound case or shell, of paper and metal, which is made in the following manner:

I first form a pasteboard tube, on, figs. 1 and 2, of suitable material, but thinner than that employed in the manufacture of ordinary pastebeard cases, and

then envelop this tube wit-h a band of sheet-copper, 'n, 7 closing the joint by suitable solder.

The double tube is then drawn down and treated in the manner usual in the manufacture of metallic cartridge-cases, and I finally obtain va compound paper and metal shell of the calibre desired, strong, and having the paper and metal inseparably united.

This shell is then united with the flanged metallic cap or base 3, fig. 9.

Cartridges made in this manner are not liable to .befafi'ected by moisture, as are those made entirely of paper, nor are they subject to oxidation, as is the case with those made entirely of-metal; and at the same time they possess decided advantages over those whose paper shells or cases are covered with a thin -metallic leaf or foil, simply rolled on, I

In perfecting the construction of my fire-arm, I;

have replaced the screw, formerly inserted in the hammer, by a piece, 1), figs. 1 and 2, held in place by a pin, '1'. This piece serves as a tenon to slide in the groove formed in the breech bolt B.

I dispense also with the rib on the needle-carrier, fig. 2, aswell as themortise cut for its reception in the screw-plug L. All. this is replaced by the screwplug L, made as represented in figs. 1 and 2.

The position of the hinge of the hausse-sight X is also reversed, the front end instead of the rear end of the sight being hinged to the barrel, in order to facilitate the operation of adjusting it.

Having now described my invention, and the mannerin which the same is or may be carried into efl'ec't,

In "testimony whereof, have signed my name to thisspecification, before two'subscribing witnesses. A; A. GHASSEPOT. \Vitnesses:

A. Donner, ST. GRINONI. 

